The West’s attempted transition away from fossil fuels has given its adversaries an advantage. China dominates much of the green energy sector, and Russia continues to fund its war against Ukraine with oil and natural gas profits. Meanwhile, Iran has capitalized on this shift by using its oil revenues to bolster its regional influence, fund proxy militias, and strengthen ties with both Russia and China. The Trump administration has begun to reverse the energy policies that created this dangerous paradigm, but the United States will need the cooperation of its allies and partners—particularly in the Middle East—to regain its status as an energy superpower and weaken the Russia-China-Iran axis.Dr. Brenda Shaffer, a senior fellow at the Atlantic Council and senior advisor for energy at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies, will join Hudson’s Zineb Riboua to discuss the geopolitical implications of rising global energy competition, particularly for the Middle East.

As Iran’s regime tightens its grip at home, it is also strengthening its anti-Western alliance with China and Russia. But with President Donald Trump back in the White House, Tehran will likely face maximum pressure sanctions and increased strikes on its proxies. With simmering domestic unrest and escalating regional tensions, where does Iran go from here?Join Zineb Riboua, research fellow and program manager at Hudson’s Center for Peace and Security in the Middle East, for a conversation with Mariam Memarsadeghi, a senior fellow at the Macdonald-Laurier Institute, and Dr. Ladan Boroumand, cofounder of the Abdorrahman Boroumand Center. They will examine Iran’s resistance movement and shifting political landscape to identify the implications for regional stability.

The Sahel is quickly becoming an important battleground in a high-stakes geopolitical contest—and Russia is making bold moves. From military entanglements to economic footholds and disinformation campaigns, Moscow’s expanding influence is upending old alliances and forcing the North Atlantic Treaty Organization and Western governments to rethink their strategies.Join Research Fellow Zineb Riboua as she interviews Mali-based expert Ulf Laessing, director of the Regional Sahel Program at the Konrad Adenauer Stiftung, for a discussion on the shifting power dynamics in the Sahel.

Since Venezuela’s July 28, 2024, presidential election, which opposition candidate Edmundo González Urrutia won decisively, Nicolás Maduro’s regime has defied the will of the people and intensified its campaign of repression and terror. Over 1,600 political prisoners remain behind bars, while opposition leaders have been forced into hiding or exile. Despite international condemnation, Maduro had himself inaugurated for a third term in January.Under Maduro, Venezuela has transformed into a criminal hub, facilitating illicit activities that threaten regional stability. Although the regime released six American citizens in February, Maduro’s Venezuela continues to deepen its strategic alliances with rogue states like Iran, posing a growing threat to the security of the United States.Join Adjunct Fellow Daniel Batlle and the leader of the Venezuelan opposition, María Corina Machado, for a discussion on the implications of Maduro’s dictatorship for Venezuela and the United States.

The past two weeks of United States–European relations have seen a flurry of activity, beginning with the visit of a US delegation, led by Vice President JD Vance, to the Artificial Intelligence Action Summit in Paris and the Munich Security Conference.As the Trump administration lays out its next steps, join Hudson for an event with Kaja Kallas, the European Union’s high representative for foreign affairs and security policy and vice president of the European Commission. She will join Senior Fellow Peter Rough for a fireside chat on the war in Ukraine, EU relations with the new US government, and the future of the transatlantic alliance.Kallas is one of Europe’s most clear-eyed leaders, a reputation she earned while serving as prime minister of Estonia from 2021 until 2024. Kallas distinguished herself as a key partner of Ukraine and a dedicated ally of the United States. She is off to a running start in the European Commission, putting forward ideas for how Europe can support Ukraine going forward.

Major General Joseph Kunkel, the Air Force’s director for force design, integration, and wargaming, will discuss why the Air Force needs to rapidly evolve its capabilities and how it can generate, in the near-term and beyond, combat-effective, agile, and adaptive airpower at scale.Major General Kunkel will join Hudson Institute Senior Fellows Dan Patt and Timothy A. Walton for a fireside chat. Major General Kunkel will then take questions from the audience.

The Chinese Communist Party’s economic warfare has granted it tremendous influence in American society, industry, and even government. Never was this more apparent than during the COVID-19 pandemic, when those who questioned the CCP’s conduct around the virus—and potential role in creating it—faced accusations of hysteria, xenophobia, and fearmongering.Senator Tom Cotton (R-AR) was one such voice. In his new book Seven Things You Can’t Say about China, he examines how the CCP threatens Americans—from its unprecedented military buildup to its role in the fentanyl trade—and how China uses its influence in media, academia, Wall Street, and Washington to silence critics.Senator Cotton will join Hudson President and CEO John Walters to discuss the senator’s new book and why Communist China is America’s most dangerous enemy.

Israel faces mounting challenges on multiple fronts in an increasingly complex security environment. The Trump administration’s postwar plan for Gaza has sparked debate over Israel’s long-term strategy, while instability in Syria continues to threaten regional security. Meanwhile, Washington’s evolving approach to the Middle East raises key questions about the future of the United States’ relations with Israel and the region more broadly.Hudson Center for Peace and Security in the Middle East Director Michael Doran will sit down with Member of the Israeli Knesset Amit Halevi for a conversation on these issues.

For decades, the United States has sought to prevent the spread of nuclear weapons among friends and foes alike. But this goal may be at risk. Adversaries like China, Russia, and North Korea pose an increased threat, leading US allies to question America’s security guarantees. In particular, South Korea appears to doubt the credibility of US extended deterrence. Seoul has sought to strengthen deterrence and even weighed the benefits of acquiring its own nuclear weapons. To promote nonproliferation, the United States should prioritize improving regional deterrence and assurance.In a new policy memo, “Nonproliferation in Great Power Competition,” Keystone Defense Initiative Director Rebeccah Heinrichs and Contributor Yashar Parsie examine the arguments for and against US nonproliferation efforts and argue that nonproliferation remains a worthy goal. They will discuss the memo and its recommendations in a conversation moderated by Senior Fellow Peter Rough.

The United States Navy faces challenges across many of its shipbuilding programs. Thanks to numerous causes, some programs are years behind schedule. At the same time, China is building up its fleet and intensifying threats against US allies. The chief of naval operations and other Pentagon leaders are concerned that Beijing may be preparing to move against Taiwan in the next two years. While the US may be unable to surge production of existing ships by that time, the Navy could increase the number of available vessels by improving ship repair, accelerating new, smaller ship classes, and buying or chartering ships built by shipyards in allied countries.Please join Hudson Senior Fellow Tim Walton for a discussion with Assistant Secretary of the Navy for Research, Development, and Acquisition Nickolas Guertin. Following the discussion, two panels of industry experts will address further challenges and opportunities to expand the US Navy fleet.